Ammunition chute



Dec. 30, 1958 w; H. NOBLES 2,866,531

AMMUNITION CHUTE Filed ma 18. 1955 1N VENTOR 74 Warren H A/ab/es ATTORNEY United States PatentO AMMUNITION CHUTE Warren H. Nobles, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to Nobles Engineering Company, St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Application May 18, 1955, Serial No. 509,243

9 Claims. (Cl. 193-25) This invention relates in general to flexible chutes and pertains more particularly to a chute for conveying cartridges from a supply box to a gun feeding device.

In chutes of the above mentioned variety not only is it necessary that the chute have exceedingly flexible characteristics in order to facilitate the aiming of the gun, but since the cartridges are fired in very rapid succession with a consequent demand that they be fed at a fast rate to the gun, problems of jamming have plagued those using the guns. In the case of military operations, it is imperative that continued functioning be assured, for in many situations lives will depend upon uninterrupted firing sequences.

To this end it is an object of the invention to provide an ammunition chute that is flexible to a desired maximum and also free from projections that would otherwise be apt to interfere with the free passage of the shells and clips through the chute. With this object in mind, the invention contemplates the utilization of a number of interleaved resilient fingers, any group of which is slidable with respect to either apreceding or succeeding one, thereby preserving the articulative characteristics of the chute. Also, it is an aim of the invention to simplify manufacturing techniques by having the interlinked frame sections of identical construction, thereby effecting a saving in both fabrication and assembling costs.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ammunition chute possessing the foregoing qualities that is also rugged, the structure forming the subject matter of the instant invention being capable of prolonged usage under the most severe operating conditions apt to be found.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter. I The invention, accordingly, consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

Figure l is an elevational view of one frame section or unit of the chute with a cartridge and clip being shown in the position they would assume in traversing one chute.

Figure 2 is a plan view corresponding to Figure 1 but with the cartridge and clip removed.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of two adjacent chute sections.

Figure 4 is a perspective detail of one of the guide fingers.

Figure 5 is another detail perspective view, this one being of a retainer member. 7

While it is felt that sufficient illustrations have been presented to enable the instant invention to be fully understood, should additional information be desired concerning the general orientation of an ammunition chute with respect to the ammunitionsupply box and the 2,866,531 Patented Dec. 30, 1958 machine gun, it is suggested that recourse be had to U. S. Patent No. 2,488,679, granted November 22, 1949, to Warren H. Nobles or to application No. 147,883 of said Nobles, filed March 6, 1950.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, attention is first directed to Figures l-4 where a frame section or unit of an ammunition chute has been pictured and which section has been designated in its entirety by the reference number 10. As seen from Figure 1, this section is generally O-shaped and comprised of two reversely bent or U-shaped parts 12 and 14 pivotally connected at the one side by a bridging rod 16. Together with other sections 18, an ammunition chute is formed which is traversed by a series of cartridges 18, one of which is pictured in Figure 1. This enables these cartridges to be fed at a rapid rate from a supply box to the gun feeder (both of conventional construction and not illustrated) and a plurality of clips 20 is utilized, each clip cradling a cartridge 18. Adjoining clips are flexibly connected by rings such as 22.

As is conventional with cartridges, the casing thereof necks in at 24 to grip a projectile or slug portion 26. The left end 28, (Figure 1) of the clip 20, however, is subjacently spaced from the neck 24, having a larger radius of curvature, and serves in conjunction with mechanism soon to be described to limit deviation or displacement of the cartridge 18 to the left as it courses through the ammunition chute. By preventing movement of the cartridge 18 to the left as viewed in Figure 1 it will be seen that the projectile 26 is kept from striking any of the U-shaped parts 12 as it passes along the chute.

Although the portion 28 of the clip 20 is utilized to prevent endwise movement of the cartridge, the chute must be provided with a suitable shoulder means against which the clip portion 28 may abut. Difficulty has been experienced in providing a shoulder means which permits flexing of the chute and yet will not quickly wear out or become injured. The present structure is designed to avoid this difficulty.

Before specifically referring to the mechanism by which the smooth passage of the various clips 20 constituting the ammunition belt through the chute is achieved, it is perhaps well to describe briefly the preferred manner in which the sections 10 are articulatively connected to gether to produce the chute. Concentrating on the U-shaped part 12, it will be appreciated that the upper and lower legs 12a and 12b of this part are each equipped with identical linking assemblages which have been identified generally by the reference numeral 30. In building up the assemblages 30, a retaining member 32, detailed in Figure 5, comprising a base panel 34 with integral upwardly and inwardly directed angularly-shaped ears 36 is employed, the panel 34 having several apertures 38, 40 and 42, by which the member may be affixed to the part 12. T 0 help the reader in orienting the member 32 with the part 12, it is to be noted that a rivet 44 extends through the aperture'38 and the part 12, whereas rivets 46 and 48 extend through the apertures 40 and 42, respectively.

The cars 36 function to retain the loop-shaped link 50 in operative position. As seen in Figure 2, this link includes a pair of longitudinal parallel strips 52 and a pair of integral transverse parallel strips 54 forming a rectangular aperture 56 therebetween. Since the strip 54, which is shown in dotted outline in Figure 2, is between the ears 36, it will be seen that the link 50 is maintained in a captive condition, being permitted to move only a distance somewhat less than the spacing between the cars 36. Locked between the same ears 36 would be a transverse strip 54 of anadjacent link 50, and by so intet..v

locking the strips 54 the parts 12 and hence this end of the section are articulatively chained together.

The other U-shaped part 14 of each section 10, including its legs 14a and 14b, are somewhat similarly joined to successive U-shaped parts, these linking assemblages being designated by the numeral 30a. Actually, the assemblages 30a are slightly different from those earlier described and identified by the numeral 30. Quite briefly, the modification resides in the fact that the assemblages 30a are integrally connected together. More will be said presently about this feature.

Continuing with the description of the parts 12 and their interconnection with each other, there is employed a member 60, channeled at one end 62 which is equipped with outwardly issuing offset flanges 64 and provided with a tapering tongue 66 at its other end. By reason of a number of rivets 68, the various members 60 are fixedly mounted on the respective legs 12a and 12b, and the tongue 66 of each member 60 projects into a passage formed by the channel 62 and one face of the panel 34 of the member 32. Similar members 60a and 60b are disposed on the part 14, all of the members 60, 60a and 60b, creating a certain desired resistance against unrestrained and too easy flexing of the composite chute. As hereinbefore indicated, the associated pairs of assemblages 30a are integral with each other and the members 60b can be part of such integral connection forming a passage or aperture with the nexus or bight of the U-shaped part 14 for the accommodation of the tongue of the next preceding member 60b.

In the past, a clip guide in the form of an angularly bent flange on one of the members of the lower assembly 30 has been employed. These flanges, made of relatively thin metal, from time to time became broken or bent by the clips moving through the chute at high speed. This caused obstructions to the passage of the cartridges.

Focusing attention now on the end 28 of the clip 20, it can be appreciated that while this portion ofthe clip limits any excessive displacement of the clip toward the left as viewed in Figure 1, it is vulnerable to striking any projections, shoulders or the like that it might encounter in its travel through the ammunition chute. Elimination of this happening has not been an easy task, for flexure between the frame sections 10 must still occur. However, the present invention solves the problem in a facile manner, the invention having in view the employment of dual groupings of spring fingers 70 (detailed in Figure 4) provided with mounting apertures 72 in an anchoring panel 74. To distinguish the salient groupings of fingers 70, the one attached to the upper leg 12a has been given the numeral 70a, the one on the lower leg 12b the numeral 70b (both groupings appearfingers rounded, the length can be reduced somewhat, for

- when distended to such a degree that only the tips are interleaved, no abrupt corners are presented to the clips 20 moving therepast. A nicety about the disclosed arrangement is that the fingers of the various groups (see Figure 3 for an illustrative situation) are free to slide relative to each other in any direction and do not in any way encumber the overall flexing of the composite chute. Yet at the same time the edges of the fingers 70 confronting the end 28 of the clips 20 are continuous and smooth, providing absolutely no chance of interference.

In accordance with the patent statutes, the principles of construction and operation of the chute construction exemplifying the instant invention have been described,

and while effort has been made to set forth the best embodiment thereof, it is desired that it is understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In an articulated ammunition chute, a series of individual frame members forming a passage through which clips and shellscarried thereby are fed in succession to a gun, means connecting said frame members together for limited movement relative to each other, and dual groupings of interleavedmeans afiixed to said frame members in sliding engageable relationship permitting said limited relative movement and presenting a substantially continuous smooth wall against which said clips may bear without interference to their advancement, said interleaved means residing in planes substantially parallel to the frame of advancement of said clips and shells.

2. In an articulate ammunition chute, a series of in dividual frame members forming a passage through which clips and shells carried thereby are fed in succession to a gun, means connecting said frame members together for limited movement relative each other, and a plurality of means mounted on each of said frame members extending toward the next adjacent frame member, said plurality of means slidably interengaging each other in interleaved relationship to provide a substantially continuous smooth guiding wall which will not interfere with the feeding movement of said clips and shells, said plurality of means residing in planes substantially parallel to the plane of said feeding movement.

3. In an articulative ammunition chute, a series of individual frame members forming a passage through which clips and shells are fed en route to a gun, means connecting said frame members together for limited longitudinal and pivotal movement relative to each other, a

a plurality of stacked, slightly spaced fingers mounted on ing in Figure 1) whereas a third group (shown in Figure 3) mounted on a succeeding frame section It) bears the character 70c. Maintaining the various fingers 70 of each stack or group 70a, 70b and 700, in a spaced relation is a plurality of spacers 76, these spacers being sandwiched in between the fingers and retained there by reason of some of the same rivets 68 previously alluded to.

From Figure 3 it can be discerned that the distal ends of the fingers constituting thestack 70b are interleaved with the fingers of group 700. By having the fingers of each group resilient it can be seen that the stacking thereof can be identical in each and every instance without having to stagger the fingers and spacers of each succeeding group. Stated otherwise, the free or distal ends of the fingers of a preceding group need be flexed downwardly only slightly in order to be received between the fingers of a following group. By so doing, each section 10 can be identical, which from both a fabricating and assembling viewpoint is of value.

Of course, thefingers '70 are of such length t hat the limited movement between sections 10, made possible -by reason of the links 50, will not cause their disinter- -leaving.

.Also, by having the ends of the respective each frame member, the fingers of each frame extending toward the fingers, of the next succeeding frame and interleaved therewith at areas spaced from the points of attachment with the frames to permit said longitudinal and pivotal movement, thereby providing a substantially continuous guiding wall which will not interfere with the feeding movement of said clips and shells.

4. The structure described in claim 3 in which said fingers are sufficiently long to maintain an overlapped relation throughout said limited longitudinal and pivotal movement. j

5. The structure described in claim 3 in which both ends of said fingers are rounded.

6. The structure described in claim 3 in which the various frame members and the stacking of said fingers are identical, the fingers being resilient to permit the fingers of said frame members to overlap similarly placed fingers of the next frame member.

7. In an articulative ammunition chute, a series of individual generally Q-shaped frame members forming a passage through which clips and shells carried thereby are fed en route to a gun, one end of said frame members beingof such 'reversely bent configuration so as to accommodate the projectile portions of the shells, said reversely bent end including a pair of substantially parallel leg portions, means connecting said frame members together for limited longitudinal and pivotal movement relative to each other, a plurality of stacked, slightly spaced fingers mounted on each of said leg portions, said fingers on each leg of any one of said frame members being in contiguous relation with each other, the fingers of each frame extending toward the fingers of the next succeeding frame and interleaved therewith at areas spaced from the points of attachment with the frames to permit said longitudinal and pivotal movement, thereby providing substantially continuous guiding walls which will not interfere with the feeding movement of said clips and shells.

8. In an articulative ammunition chute, a series of individual generally C-shaped frame members forming a passage through which clips and shells carried thereby are fed en route to a gun, one end of said frame members being of such reversely bent configuration so as to accom- 20 modate the projectile portions of the shells, said reversely bent end including a pair of substantially parallel leg portions, means connecting said frame members together 6 for limited longitudinal and pivotal movement relative to each other, a plurality of stacked, slightly spaced fingers mounted on each of said leg portions, said fingers on each leg of any one of said frame members being in contiguous relation with each other, the fingers of each frame extending toward the fingers of the next succeeding frame and interleaved therewith at areas spaced from the points of attachment with the frames to permit said longitudinal and pivotal movement, thereby providing substantially continuous guiding walls which will not interfere with the feeding movement of said clips and shells.

9. The structure described in claim 8 and in which the fingers are arranged on planes substantially parallel to the intermediate portions of said frame members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,477,264 Pearson et al. July 26, 1949 2,488,679 Nobles Nov. 22, 1949 2,510,191 Nobles June 6, 1950 

